volunteering and paid work for adults who use aac

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Volunteering and Paid Work for Adults Who Use AAC

David Trembath & Susan Balandin &

Roger J. Stancliffe & Leanne Togher

Published online: 11 November 2009# Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2009

Abstract Volunteering has been identified as a route to paid work for adults withdisability, including those who use augmentative and alternative communication(AAC). However, it is not known if adults who use AAC volunteer in an attempt togain paid work or if such attempts are successful. The aim of this study was toexplore the experiences of 24 adult volunteers who use AAC in order to determine(a) their motivations for volunteering, (b) their views on the relationship betweenvolunteering and paid work, and (c) the outcomes of their experiences. Based on in-depth interviews and grounded theory analysis, the results indicate that althoughsome participants thought volunteering might be helpful in gaining paid work, fewvolunteered for this reason. Only one participant reported gaining permanent paidwork as a result of volunteering, indicating that volunteering may not provide a routeto employment for most adults who use AAC.

Keywords Volunteering . Employment . Disability . Augmentative communication

In recent years, there has been widespread recognition of the important contributionthat volunteers make to the social, cultural, and economic fabric of modern societies(International Association for Volunteer Effort 2001). In Australia, for example,approximately 34% of adults volunteer annually, contributing in the order of 713million hours of unpaid work and 42 billion dollars to the national economy(Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006; Ironmonger 2000). Volunteers have been

J Dev Phys Disabil (2010) 22:201–218DOI 10.1007/s10882-009-9170-8

D. Trembath : R. J. Stancliffe : L. TogherFaculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

S. BalandinAvdeling for helse- og sosialfag, Høgskolen i Molde, Molde, Norway

D. Trembath (*)The University of Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe, NSW 1825, Australiae-mail: [email protected]

described as ‘the key’ to a strong civil society (UN Volunteers 2002) and are awardedhigh status in the community (Gottlieb and Gillespie 2009). Not surprisingly,volunteering is popular amongst adults with and without disability who want tomake a valuable and recognised contribution to their communities (Clary et al.1996; Simpson 2001).

There is evidence to suggest that volunteering results in a range of benefits foradults with disability. Balandin et al. (2006b), for example, interviewed 14 adultswith long standing disability in order to explore their experiences and perceptions ofvolunteering. The participants reported that volunteering helped them to meet newpeople and to develop their social networks, while at the same time developing andutilising their knowledge and skills. Choma and Ochocka (2005) reported thatvolunteering led to the development of knowledge and skills, increased indepen-dence and self confidence, and social networks based on their evaluation of a 2 yearvolunteering program for 226 adults with physical, intellectual, and sensory disability.Recently, the possible benefits of volunteering in assisting adults with disability who areseeking employment have also been recognised (European Volunteer Centre 2007;Mencap 2009a).

Volunteering: A Route to Paid Work

Volunteering has been identified as a route to paid work for adults with and withoutdisability (Held 2007; Institute for Volunteering Research 2009). Around the world,governments, volunteering agencies, and disability service providers now encouragejob seekers to use volunteering as a stepping stone to paid work (Corporation forNational and Community Service 2009; European Volunteer Centre 2007). TheAustralian government, for example, promotes volunteering as an “...opportunity togain skills which will directly improve your employment prospects” (AustralianGovernment 2009, p. 1). In the United Kingdom, Mencap has identified volunteer-ing as a starting point for young persons with intellectual disability who are seekingpaid work. However, despite the possible benefits of volunteering in helping adultswith disability gain paid work, it is not known if adults with disability, includingthose who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), volunteer in anattempt to gain paid work or if the outcomes of their attempts are successful.

Motivations for Volunteering

To date, there has been little research into the motivations of adults with disabilitywho volunteer, and no studies have examined the specific motivations of volunteerswho use AAC (Trembath et al. 2009a). Nevertheless, studies involving adultswithout disability have revealed six common motivations for volunteering. Claryet al. (1996), for example, reviewed data from a national survey involving 2,761Americans and reported that participants volunteered in order to: (i) express or act ontheir personal values, (ii) learn more about the world and exercise their personalskills, (iii) grow and develop psychologically, (iv) strengthen their social relation-ships, (v) reduce their negative feelings or address their personal problems, and (vi)

202 J Dev Phys Disabil (2010) 22:201–218

gain career-related experience. It is not known if adults who use AAC volunteer forsimilar reasons, including volunteering as an attempt to improve their prospects ofgaining paid work. Furthermore, it is not known if volunteering mitigates the barriersto work commonly faced by adults who use AAC.

Barriers to Paid Work

Light et al. (1996) examined the barriers to paid work for 25 adults who used AAC.The participants identified communication as the greatest barrier, followed byproblems with assistive technology, the negative attitudes of others, inadequatetransport, and poor workplace access (Light et al. 1996). The results of recent studies(e.g., Bryen 2006; Carey et al. 2004) indicate that support from social networksincluding family, friends, and associates play a critical role in helping adults withand without disability to find paid work. However, adults who use AAC tend to havesmall social networks, and so may be disadvantaged when it comes to finding paidwork (Bryen 2006). Given that volunteering results in increased social networks foradults with disability more broadly (Balandin et al. 2006b; Roker et al. 1998),volunteering may also improve the job prospects of adults who use AAC who areseeking paid work.

Indeed, anecdotal reports indicate that the social networks developed throughvolunteering have assisted some adults who use AAC to gain paid work. Gary, forexample, a 36 year old policy analyst who used AAC, when speaking about theimportance of volunteering in helping him to find paid work, said: ‘The way I gotstarted was by volunteering at a local school. That’s when someone noticed me andmy abilities’ (McNaughton et al. 2002, p. 68). Similarly, Robert O’Gurek spoke ofthe experience he gained through volunteering while at high school and college,where he helped to develop websites for his high school football team and local FireCompany. Upon graduating from college, Robert was offered work by two friends,one of whom had worked with him on the Fire Company website (O’Gurek 2007).Nevertheless, despite these anecdotal reports, there is no research evidence thatvolunteering provides a reliable stepping stone to paid work for adults who use AAC.

Potential Risks

Based on the findings of a national survey of staff in organisations that utilised, orsupported young volunteers with disability, Roker and colleagues (1998) suggestedthat volunteering could in fact lead to the exploitation of individuals looking for paidwork. Specifically, staff respondents reported that the young volunteers, especiallythose with intellectual disability, often viewed their voluntary work as their job. Theauthors discussed the possibility that this could result in exploitation of their services,and lead to complacency amongst those who might otherwise encourage and supporttheir transition to paid work (Roker et al. 1998). Reilly (2005), however, highlightedthat for some adults with disability, volunteering is indeed a meaningful and desirablework-like alternative to paid employment. There is a need for further research to betterunderstand the ways in which adults who use AAC view this relationship between

J Dev Phys Disabil (2010) 22:201–218 203203

volunteering and paid work, and to help staff in organisations that utilise volunteers torecognise and respond to the unique motivations and expectations of each individual.

To date, there has been little research into the motivations of adults who use AACwho volunteer, and little is known about the outcomes of their experiences. In addition,there are currently no specific recommendations or identified strategies for supportingvolunteers who seek to gain paid work through volunteering. Therefore, the aim of thisstudy was to explore the experiences of adults who use AAC who engaged involunteering, in order to determine (a) their motivations for volunteering, (b) their viewson the relationship between volunteering and paid work, and (c) the outcomes for thosewho volunteer in attempt to gain paid work, in order to develop strategies to supporttheir volunteering efforts.

Method

The research reported here forms part of a larger qualitative study into theexperiences of volunteers who use AAC (Trembath et al. 2009b). The purpose of thisarticle is to provide a detailed account of the participants’ views on the interactionbetween volunteering and paid work and the outcomes of their experiences.

Ethical Approval

Approval for this study was granted by the University of Sydney Human ResearchEthics Committee and by the ethics committees of the two disability services thatassisted with recruitment.

Recruitment

Speech pathologists and staff in disability related organisations were asked todistribute information sheets about the study to adults who use AAC. In order toparticipate, individuals had to (a) be 18 years or over, (b) be able to provide informedconsent, (c) have engaged in formal volunteering for at least 1 h in their adult lives, and(d) have physical disability and use AAC. Individuals who expressed interest inparticipating, and who met these criteria, were asked to sign a consent form and answerfour questions about the study correctly in order to further demonstrate informedconsent (Balandin et al. 2006a).

Participants

The participants were 12 women and 12 men with physical disability, aged between20 and 60 years, who used AAC (Trembath et al. 2009b). Twenty three participantshad lifelong disability, and one had acquired physical disability in adulthood,approximately 10 years prior to the study. Eighteen participants used AAC systemsas their primary mode of communication in everyday situations; the remaining sixparticipants used AAC to support their natural speech. Fourteen participants wereactively engaged in volunteering at the time of the study. Their roles includedserving on boards and committees, broadcasting on community radio, and presenting


disability awareness workshops to school students. Ten participants had volunteeredpreviously in their adult lives, but were not currently volunteering. In terms of paidwork, two participants were in open employment at the time of the study, oneparticipant was in supported employment, five had casual employment, and two hadretired. The remaining 14 participants were unemployed. A summary of theparticipants’ characteristics is provided in Table 1. Each participant has beenallocated a pseudonym and only broad descriptions of the demographic informationare provided in an effort to protect the participants’ confidentiality.

Materials

Interviews were recorded digitally and transcribed verbatim. NVIVO8 software(Richards 1999) was used for data management purposes.

Process

All participants were interviewed on two occasions in order to explore theirexperiences of volunteering. A semi-structured interview guide was used in the firstinterview to help ensure that a range of topics was covered. These topics includedthe participants’ motivations for volunteering, the benefits they received throughvolunteering, the barriers they faced, and their suggestions for strategies to supportother adults who use AAC to volunteer successfully. Only broad questions wereincluded in the guide to encourage the participants to raise and discuss the issuesthey felt were most important. However, as issues were raised by participants,including the relationship between volunteering and paid work, specific questionswere then asked during the interviews in order to explore these issues. Eachinterview lasted approximately 90 min. This did not include regular breaks providedto ensure participants did not fatigue through the use of their AAC systems.Following the first interview, each participant was provided with a written summaryof the interview, which was reviewed for accuracy at the start of the secondinterview. The researcher offered to read the summary aloud for the benefit of thoseparticipants who had reading difficulties. The participants were given the opportunity tomake any changes to their summary that they felt were necessary and were encouragedto add further information during the second interview (Charmaz 2006).

Analysis

The process of analysis is reported in detail in a separate article (Trembath et al.2009b). In brief, interview transcripts were analysed according to the groundedtheory method described by Strauss and Corbin (1990). This involved the stages ofopen, axial, and selective coding which occurred concurrently throughout analysis.Theoretical sampling was used to systematically assess the extent to which thetheory ‘fit’ with the participants’ lived experiences. Data collection and analysis wascompleted when (a) no new or relevant information emerged, (b) the categories ofinformation were elaborate and dense, and (c) the relationships between thecategories were well established and validated (Strauss and Corbin 1990).


Tab

le1

Participantdemographics

Pseud

onym

Age

Mobility

AAC

Volun

teeringrole

Currently

volunteering

3Edu

catio

n4Current

employment

Accom

modation

Peter

40–50

Pow

erwheelchair

SGD1

Com

munity

Radio

No

Secondary

Unemploy

edGroup

home

Craig

50–60

Pow

erwheelchair

SGD

Youth

groupleader

Yes

Tertiary

Supported

employment

Fam

ilyhome

Com

mittee

mem

ber

Ann

e30

–40

Wheelchair

SGD

Fundraising

No

Tertiary

Unemployed

Group

home

Lisa

40–50

Wheelchair

Board

2Prescho

olNo

Secondary

Unemploy

edGroup

home

Luke

30–40

Pow

erwheelchair

SGD

Trainer

No

Secondary

Unemploy

edGroup

home

Lee

50–60

Wheelchair

Board

Prescho

olNo

Secondary

Unemploy

edGroup

Hom

e

Sue

30–40

Pow

ered

wheelchair

SGD

Trainer

Yes

Tertiary

Unemployed

Group

home

Jack

40–50

Pow

erwheelchair

Board

Hospital

Yes

Secondary

Unemploy

edGroup

home

Emily

20–30

Pow

erwheelchair

SGD

Mentor

Yes

Tertiary

Unemployed

Group

home

Scott

60–70

Pow

erwheelchair

SGD

Musician

Yes

Tertiary

Retired

Group

home

Jeff

20–30

Pow

erwheelchair

SGD

Hospital

No

Tertiary

Unemployed

Ownhome

Gary

40–50

Wheelchair

SGD

Church

No

Tertiary

Unemployed

Group

home

Laura

30–40

Wheelchair

SGD

Mentor

Yes

Tertiary

Unemployed

Fam

ilyhome


Tab

le1

(contin

ued)

Pseud

onym

Age

Mobility

AAC

Volun

teeringrole

Currently

volunteering

3Edu

catio

n4Current

employment

Accom

modation

Eric

50–60

Pow

erwheelchair

Board+SGD

Trainer

Yes

Tertiary

Casualem

ployment

Ownhome

Tina

30–40

Pow

erwheelchair

SGD

Artist

No

Tertiary

Casualem

ployment

Fam

ilyhome

Bruce

30–40

Pow

erwheelchair

SGD

Com

mittee

mem

ber

Yes

Tertiary

Casualem

ployment

Ownhome

Daw

n40

–50

Independently

mobile

SGD

Com

mittee

mem

ber

Yes

Tertiary

Employed

Ownhome

Carl

50–60

Pow

erwheelchair

SGD

Com

mittee

mem

ber

Yes

Secondary

Retired

Ownhome

Beth

40–50

Pow

erwheelchair

SGD

Com

mittee

mem

ber

Yes

Tertiary

Employed

Ownhome

Glen

50–60

Pow

erwheelchair

SGD

Com

mittee

mem

ber

Yes

Tertiary

Unemployed

Group

Hom

e

Cathy

50–60

Independ

ently

mob

ileSGD

Com

mittee

mem

ber

Yes

Secondary

Casualem

ploy

ment

Fam

ilyho

me

Tim

50–60

Pow

erwheelchair

SGD

Trainer

No

Secondary

Casualem

ploy

ment

Ownho

me

Amy

30–40

Pow

erwheelchair

Board

Trainer

No

Secondary

Unemploy

edFam

ilyho

me

Emma

50–60

Pow

erwheelchair

SGD

Trainer

Yes

Tertiary

Unemployed

OwnHom

e

1SGD=Speechgeneratin

gdevice.

2Com

mun

icationbo

ard.

3Includ

esthoseparticipantswho

engage

ininterm

ittentvo

lunteering

rolesandwho

expect

tovo

lunteeragainwith

in6mon

ths.

4The

term

‘tertiary

education’

refers

tocompletionof

oneor

moresubjectsor

afullcourse

ordegree

atthetertiary

level.


Credibility

Four approaches were used to ensure the accuracy of the data and credibility of theinterpretation (Jupp 2006). First, as noted above, the participants were asked toreview summaries of their first interviews in order to identify any errors oromissions. Second, participants were continuously asked for further informationduring the interviews in order to systematically analyse the properties anddimensions of the emerging categories. Third, the second author reviewed theinterview transcripts and the first author’s analysis in order to identify and addressany errors or disagreements. Finally, the audit trail created through the use of writtenmemos and NVIVO software enabled the second, third, and fourth authors to reviewthe analytical process.

The analytic process in grounded theory makes no claim to objectivity. To thecontrary, authors should, when reporting results, note the experiences and perspectivesthey brought to the analysis (Patton 2002). All of the authors are experienced inworking with adults with lifelong disability, including those who use AAC. Theyare all experienced clinicians and researchers who have engaged in formal volunteer-ing in disability and non-disability related organisations. The second author, who wasresponsible for auditing the first author’s analysis, is experienced in conductingqualitative research with adults who use AAC. The authors advocate that individualswith disability have the right to participate in all societal roles and activities, includingvolunteering and paid work if they so choose (Trembath et al. 2009b).

Results

The results are organised according to the key themes that emerged during analysis.These themes encapsulate the participants’ motivations for volunteering, their viewson the relationship between volunteering and paid work, and the outcomes of theirexperiences. The results are presented, wherever possible, using the participants’ ownwords, consistent with the grounded theory methodology (Strauss and Corbin 1990).

Motivations to Volunteer

The participants expressed a range of motivations to volunteer, centered on thenotion of wanting to make a difference in their own lives and in the lives of others.Bruce, for example, who volunteered on several boards and committees, explainedthat he volunteered in order to apply his knowledge and skills for the benefit ofhimself and others.

‘I enjoy working on thinking of creative ways to solve problems that couldenhance the quality of life for others as well as for myself’.

Similarly Eric, who volunteered by presenting disability awareness training, wasmotivated by the effect he thought his voluntary work might have on the lives ofothers.

‘I feel I have some gifts to share’.


Beth too spoke passionately about the effect that volunteering can have onpeople’s lives, based on her experiences.

‘People forget that volunteering is the greatest way to make a life successful’.

For all participants, the desire to help others appeared to be central to theirmotivation to volunteer. Nevertheless, most participants expressed additionalmotivations to volunteer. Of the 24 participants, three indicated that they hadvolunteered in an attempt to gain paid work, in addition to their other motivations.

Volunteering and Paid Work

Peter, who had volunteered at a community radio station, explained that hevolunteered because he loved music and enjoyed bringing happiness to others, butalso because he had hoped that it might lead to paid work as a DJ.

INT: When you started volunteering, did you think that the volunteering mighthelp you get into paid work?Peter: I did want (it) to work out that way.

Similarly, Glen, who volunteered on the board of a disability organisation, commented:

‘I hope volunteering will lead to paid work 1 day’.

Beth said that she had volunteered with the intention of using it as a steppingstone to paid work, while at the same time wanting to help others.

INT: Were there other motivations for starting to volunteer, for gettinginvolved in volunteering?Beth: Yes, yes. I was not going to put my life into a workshop.INT: Right. And did you see volunteering as one way to develop skills so that youwould be in paid work?Beth: Nodding (yes).

Other participants, however, spoke of volunteering as their work, albeit unpaid.Emily, who volunteered as a mentor for young persons with disability, highlighted

the work-like nature of her voluntary role.

It’s unpaid job and you just do it because you like to feel helpful.

Similarly, Jack, who volunteered in a hospital and communicated using a spellingboard, succinctly stated his motivation to volunteer.

INT: Are there other reasons why you volunteer?Jack: Like work.

Like Jack, Lisa indicated that she volunteered because it was like ‘work’. A staffmember, who Lisa had asked to join in her interview, made the following comment,to which Lisa agreed:

Lisa likes to be busy, she likes to work, and of course, paid work is quitedifficult for Lisa and so voluntary work is the next step, but definitely Lisalikes to be occupied, but also you like to help.


Regardless of their individual motivations for volunteering, there was generalagreement amongst the participants that volunteering might assist those looking forpaid work.

Potential Benefits of Volunteering

Jeff explained that through volunteering, adults who use AAC may develop a workhistory that could be attractive to potential employers.

A lot of organisations like to know that you’ve got some background and they liketo see you have done something. You’ve done no paid work, but they check up onwhat you have done so... character references really, and work ethic I guess.

Peter suggested that the knowledge gained through volunteering might help someadults who use AAC to gain paid work.

INT: Do you think that volunteering does lead to paid work?Peter: Peter gesturing (yes).INT: In what way or how do you think it does?Peter: Learning.

Beth, however, explained that it was the skills and confidence she developedthrough volunteering that helped her to move into paid work.

INT: We were talking about how volunteering did help you to get paid work.Can you give some examples of some specific things that you learned throughvolunteering or that you gained through volunteering that meant...Beth: People, communication.INT: In terms of communication, what sort of, what sort of skills did you develop?Beth: Confidence to build relationships, to learn to see how people think, and abig one for me, to work with children.

For two participants, Tim and Cathy, volunteering led to an increase in their socialnetworks, which in turn resulted in them being offered a small amount of casual paidwork. This was despite the fact that neither had set out to volunteer with the aim ofgaining paid work.

Tim was offered casual work presenting to university students, following hisvolunteer work presenting disability awareness training workshops to school students.

INT: Why did you stop doing the presentations (to school students)?Tim: I think after them I started to do some work for [name of university withheld].INT: That’s interesting. So, how did you meet [academic’s name withheld]?Tim: She worked for [name of University withheld].INT: Okay, so you came into contact that way... Do you think there was some sortof connection between the presentations you were doing at school and thengetting the job?Tim: Tim nodding (yes).INT: ...Do you feel that the volunteering work helped you to get the paid work?Tim: Tim nodding (yes).


Similarly, Cathy was offered a small amount of casual paid work doingpresentations after she volunteered on several committees.

Cathy: Someone asked me if I could do this talk and it was for the disabled,and you get paid for it.INT: ...That’s interesting, so some of the work that you’ve done has beenvoluntary but because of that voluntary work you’ve actually ended up gettingpaid for this one?Cathy: Yeah.

Therefore, in addition to providing opportunities to develop skills and knowledge,volunteering also afforded Tim and Cathy the opportunity to develop their socialnetworks, resulting in a small amount of paid work. Nevertheless, Tim and Cathy’sexperiences were the exception, not the norm, and the paid work they were offeredwas on a casual basis. Of the three participants who had originally volunteered in thehope of gaining paid work, only Beth had been successful. Despite the benefitsassociated with volunteering, there appeared to be no clear pathway for making thetransition from volunteering to paid work.

The Transition to Paid Work

Peter, who had hoped to gain paid work as DJ by volunteering in community radioappeared unsure, at first, when asked how his volunteering might lead to paid work.

INT: How did you think it (transition to paid work) might happen?Peter: I don’t know.INT: Did you think that maybe through volunteering that you would developskills that would be helpful in the workplace?Peter: Peter shaking his head and vocalising (no).INT: Not really? Did you think maybe through volunteering you’d meet peoplewho would offer you work?Peter: Peter nodding and vocalising (yes).INT: Right.Peter: Because I knew how to do DJ work before.

When asked how he felt about not having gained paid work, Peter gave an insightinto the broader barriers he faced when it came to accessing appropriate support andparticipating in the community.

INT: How did you feel when this didn’t happen, when work opportunitiesdidn’t arise, when regular work didn’t arise?Peter: That is life.INT: ...Are you disappointed though?Peter: Peter shaking his head and vocalising (no).INT: Can you tell me why it’s not disappointing...?Peter: ...Hard.INT: Hard to explain?Peter: Peter nodding and vocalising (yes)....People let me down lots.


Beth, who clearly identified the benefits of volunteering in preparing her for paidwork, still spoke of the uncertainty she had felt regarding her transition to paid work.

INT: Can you tell me a little bit about how the volunteering work led to thetransition to paid work...?Beth: For me it was more about using it to make a step towards employment, but Istill was not convinced that I could make it to paid work. It just did not seem thatI should do it for a long time.INT: Do you mean do volunteering for a long time?Beth: It took me many years to see myself doing anything but volunteering work.

Therefore, even though Beth appeared to have been confident that volunteeringwould lead to paid work, it had not been clear to her how this would happen. Inaddition, the quotes above indicate that she, like Peter, still faced barriers inattempting to make the transition, such as the limited opportunities to meet potentialemployers and low self-confidence.

Aspirations for the Future

Glen had also faced barriers in his attempt to gain paid work, but was determined tocontinue volunteering in order to help others. Like Peter, Glen cited a lack ofopportunities for paid work as a key barrier to him gaining employment.

INT: What is the future of volunteering for you?Glen: I hope volunteering will lead to paid work 1 day.INT: Yeah, do you think it will?Glen: Maybe.INT: Can I ask, I hope it comes out the right way, but can I ask how long haveyou been hoping that for, how long have you had that in mind?Glen: About 25 years.INT: What do you think is the main thing that gets in the way of paid work? Or isthere one main thing?Glen: Opportunity.INT: Yeah. So it is a matter of, if the right position came up...Glen: Yes, yes, yes.INT: How do you feel, how does it make you feel?Glen: Keep trying.INT: Okay. Have I understood correctly that you’ve been volunteering for 25 years invarious roles and what not, and you’ve hoped during that time that it would lead topaid work, but you’ve also volunteered for other reasons such as to help people?Glen: Glen gesturing (yes)

Like Glen, Jeff also expressed his ongoing desire to volunteer in order to helpothers, regardless of his plans to enter the paid workforce in the future. Jeff reiteratedhis view that volunteering and paid work are separate activities, undertaken fordifferent reasons and with separate rewards.

INT: In 5 years... do you think you’ll be working or you’ll be volunteering...?Jeff: At this stage probably working.


INT: And volunteering, or maybe not so much?Jeff: Both.INT: Why would you volunteer if you’ve got paid work to go to?Jeff: Paid work can be boring, in business especially!INT: ...If you’re working 38 h, 40 h a week, why would you volunteer ontop of that?Jeff: To help people I guess: get a good feeling out of doing something worthwhile.INT: That’s interesting... I’m looking at the overlap between volunteering andpaid work... but in your mind they’re different?Jeff: You do it [volunteer] because you want to do it. [Even] if you don’t want towork; you have to work to live, because everybody hates, everybody hates [thewelfare services]. Those scumbags! (Jeff laughing)

Discussion

The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of adults who use AAC whoengage in volunteering. The results provide the first insights into (a) their motivationsfor volunteering, (b) their views on the relationship between volunteering and paidwork, and (c) the outcomes of their experiences. In addition, the results demonstrate theneed for separate tailored approaches to supporting adults who use AAC who want tovolunteer and those seeking paid work opportunities.

Motivations

The participants volunteered in order to make a difference to their own lives and tothe lives others. Consistent with the findings of previous studies (e.g., Balandin et al.2006b; Clary et al. 1996), most participants expressed multiple motivations tovolunteer, including the desire to develop their knowledge and skills, to share theirexperience and expertise with others, and to feel helpful. Striking in this study,however, was the conviction with which participants spoke of the significance ofvolunteering in their lives. Beth, for example, described volunteering as “the greatestway to make a life successful.” The results highlight the importance that volunteeringcan have in the lives of some individuals and reinforce the need for adults who use AACto have access to volunteering opportunities (Trembath et al. 2009b).

Although volunteering has been promoted as a route to paid work for adults withdisability (Institute for Volunteering Research 2009; Mencap 2009a), only threeparticipants volunteered for this reason. The small number of participants whovolunteered in an attempt to gain paid work is consistent with the pattern seen inadults without disability, whereby most volunteer in order to express or act onpersonal values, rather than to gain career related experience (Clary et al. 1996).However, the participants in this study had physical disability and complexcommunication needs which are known barriers to employment (Light et al. 1996;McNaughton et al. 2002). Consequently, it is possible that many did not volunteer inan attempt to gain paid work because they did not consider gaining paid work to be arealistic prospect. For several participants who were not seeking paid work, the


desire to take on a meaningful work-like role, albeit unpaid, was nevertheless a keymotivation to volunteer.

Emily, Jack, and Lisa expressed their desire to engage in a productive work-likerole through volunteering. Emily described volunteering as “...an unpaid job...” thatyou do “...because you like to feel helpful.” Jack explained that he volunteeredbecause he “like[s] work,” while Lisa agreed when her support worker suggestedthat “paid work is quite difficult for Lisa and so voluntary work is the next step.”These statements are congruent with Reilly’s (2005) finding that volunteering canprovide a meaningful and desirable alternative to paid work for some adults withdisability. Furthermore, the participants’ statements illustrate the status they attachedto volunteering (Gottlieb and Gillespie 2009) and the sense of occupation andparticipation their volunteering roles provided.

Roker et al. (1998) suggested that individuals with disability who view thevolunteering as ‘work’ could be at risk of exploitation if they do not clearlydifferentiate between the two roles. However, the participants in this study made thedistinction clearly. As noted above, Emily described her volunteering as “an unpaidjob” and the participants spoke freely about the differences between the two roles.Nevertheless, it is imperative that staff in organisations that utilise and support adultvolunteers who use AAC ensure that volunteers have a clear understanding of thenature of their role, the outcomes they can expect to achieve, and alternative optionsfor pursuing paid work if that is what they are seeking. This may be particularlyimportant for adults with intellectual disability who use AAC, who were not thefocus of this study.

The motivations, desire, and commitment expressed by the participants reinforcethat volunteering is an important and rewarding activity, and supports the need forinitiatives aimed at creating volunteering opportunities for adults with disability(Mencap 2009b; The Spastic Centre 2009). In addition, the range of motivationsexpressed by participants highlights the need for staff in organisations that utilisevolunteers to consider the unique motivations of each individual when assigningvolunteering roles (Finkelstein 2007).

For the participants in this study, expressing and acting on their personal values,helping others, and participating in work-like activities were the key motivations forvolunteering rather than the prospect of gaining paid work. Therefore, it appears thatinitiatives aimed at supporting adults who use AAC to volunteer should focus onhelping them to act on these key motivations to help others and to participate inwork-like activities, rather than focusing on volunteering as a route to paid work.

The Relationship Between Volunteering and Paid Work

Although few participants volunteered in an attempt to gain paid work, manysuggested that the benefits that came from volunteering could improve the prospectsof those seeking employment. Consistent with the findings of previous studies, thebenefits reported by participants included the development of knowledge and skills(Choma and Ochocka 2005; Reilly 2005; Simpson 2001), improved communication(Reilly 2005), increased self confidence (Balandin et al. 2006b; Reilly 2005), andgreater social networks (Balandin et al. 2006b; European Volunteer Centre 2007;Roker et al. 1998). Two participants were offered a small amount of paid work


through the social networks they developed while volunteering. However, the workthey were offered was episodic and did not represent a planned transition fromvolunteering to paid work. For most participants, the benefits associated withvolunteering did not translate into opportunities for paid work.

Of the three participants who volunteered in an attempt to gain paid work, onlyBeth had succeeded. Peter had hoped that he would be offered paid work as a DJfollowing his volunteering work in community radio. However, he appeared unsurehow volunteering might lead him into paid work. Similarly, Glen had volunteeredfor 25 years with the hope that it might lead to paid work, in addition to his othermotivations, however this had not eventuated. For the participants in this study, theredid not appear to be a clear pathway from volunteering to paid work. They did nothave a plan for how the skills, knowledge, and experiences they gained throughvolunteering would lead to paid work. Furthermore, their volunteering rolesappeared to focus more on them providing community service and volunteeringfor their own enjoyment than on gaining relevant workplace experience. Thesefindings indicate that although volunteering may help adults who use AAC to growas individuals through the development of knowledge and skills, increased selfconfidence, and greater social networks, volunteering alone is unlikely to lead topaid work.

Implications

The results of this study demonstrate clearly the importance volunteering can have inthe lives of some adults who use AAC, and the need for adults who use AAC tohave access to volunteering opportunities. Although programs aimed at supportingadults with disability to volunteer have been developed (e.g., Ashworth and Fell2003; Volunteer Canada 2001), none have addressed the communication barriersfaced by adults who use AAC. The results also indicate that few adults who useAAC volunteer in an attempt to gain paid work, although some describe it as adesirable work-like activity. There is a need to ensure that the diverse motivations ofvolunteers who use AAC are recognised and accommodated in organisations thatutilise volunteers, and attempts are made to place these volunteers in contexts thatwill meet their motivations and expectations.

Without doubt, volunteering results in a range of benefits for adults who useAAC, and the skills and experience attained may act as valuable adjuncts toemployment programs. However, for those who are seeking paid work, it appearsthat volunteering alone is unlikely to lead to employment. Instead, adults who useAAC may be better advised to utilise existing employment programs whichspecialise in supporting the transition to paid work, such as the AugmentativeCommunication and Empowerment Training and Support (ACETS) program (Bryenet al. 1995; Cohen et al. 2003).

Limitations of the Study

The results of this study provide the first insights into the relationship betweenvolunteering paid work for adults who use AAC, but must be interpreted cautiously.The key limitation of this study is that only three participants volunteered in an


attempt to gain paid work. It is not clear to what extent the experiences of theparticipants in this study reflect those of the wider community of adults who useAAC. In addition, it is important to note that only the views of the volunteers havebeen examined in this study.

Future Research Directions

Further research is needed to examine the views and experiences of staff inorganisations that utilise volunteers regarding the relationship between volunteeringand paid work for adults who use AAC. In addition, the views and experiences ofadults with intellectual disability who use AAC, which were not considered in thisstudy, must also be examined. Although there is a substantial body of researchaddressing employment issues for adults with intellectual disability, little attentionhas be paid to its relationship with volunteering for these individuals. In consideringthe future directions of volunteering for adults who use AAC and research in thisarea, it is important to reiterate that gaining paid work was not a common motivationfor volunteering amongst participants. Instead, their primary motivation was to makea difference in the lives of others. In order to ensure that the important contributionsof adult volunteers who use AAC are recognised and valued in society, and that theresources and opportunities they require are made available, research is needed tomeasure and make public the economic and social benefits of their volunteering forthemselves and their communities.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that adults who use AAC volunteer primarilyin order to make a difference to the lives of others and to contribute to theircommunities. Despite the fact that volunteering has been promoted as a route to paidwork for adults with disability, few participants in the present study volunteered forthis reason and only one was successful. Adults who use AAC view volunteering asa meaningful and desirable role in its own right: separate from paid work. Theyrequire access to volunteering opportunities and the support required to volunteersuccessfully. Although volunteering resulted in a number of benefits for participantsin this study, it alone was not successful in helping those who sought paid work tofind it. Therefore, those who seek to use volunteering a route to paid work may bebetter advised to participate in a dedicated employment program that relates directlyto the type of paid work they are seeking.

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